PARLIAMENT QUESTION: NUCLEAR FUEL PROGRAMME

The Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) is advancing India’s indigenous thorium‑based nuclear fuel programme under the Three‑Stage Nuclear Power Programme to ensure long‑term energy security and self‑reliance. The first stage uses Pressurised Heavy Water Reactors (PHWRs) with limited uranium; spent PHWR fuel yields plutonium for the second stage Fast Breeder Reactors (FBRs), with the Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor (PFBR) achieving first criticality on 6 April 2026. The third stage will utilise uranium‑233 bred from thorium, with ongoing R&D on Molten Salt Reactors (MSR) and back‑end facilities at Tarapur and Kalpakkam supporting reprocessing and waste management.